Prometheus Hot End: New Customizable All Metal Hot End now on Indiegogo!

Hey guys,


Check out the Prometheus Hot End, my new customizable all metal hot end is now on Indiegogo!


http://igg.me/at/Prometheus-Hot-End/x/6004956


I have been involved in development work within the RepRap community for quite some time and this hot end is my way of contributing to the community :) I am only active over on the RepRap forums but I thought I should post here in case any of you guys are interested in my new hot end. The Indiegogo campaign just went up so if you are quick you can grab one of the Early Bird perks!


Let me know what you guys think and just ask if you have any questions.


I would really appreciate your support!


Even if you can't directly support his project, it would be really helpful if you could tell all of your 3D printing buddies about my campaign and spread the word ;)


Happy printing!


Eric

Hey guys,

First of all, thank you to those who have contributed! Your support is very much appreciated.

While this has definitely been a slow start I am now working on several things to increase exposure. Admittedly, the marketing of this project has been a bit of a stumbling block for me. However, I have received lots of great advice from people on the forums and I am now working to get this campaign noticed!

I have contacted publications including 3ders, 3D Printer World, and Hack-A-Day so they should be able to bring some press exposure to this campaign. I have also contacted RichRap (Richard Horne) about doing an objective review of the Prometheus Hot End. RichRap is a RepRap core developer and is well respected throughout the 3D printer community. A RichRap review of the Prometheus Hot End will show everyone how well this hot end performs and also help people understand why it performs so well and what sets it apart from other hot ends.

Within the next two weeks I am going to go ahead and order the Early Bird production batch of parts from my suppliers using a combination of private funds and Indiegogo contributions. I have realized that the key here is just getting my hot end out there ASAP so that people can see how well it performs. At this point the campaign will be carried out to completion regardless of the funding success so don't be afraid to contribute!

Once I make the Early Bird production order and receive all of the components, I will start shipping the kits out to people who have backed this project. I expect to begin shipping Early Bird perks before the projected June shipping date :) This project is going to happen no matter what, so there is nothing stopping you from grabbing your Prometheus Hot End Early Bird perk right now!

Also, remember to spread the word to everyone you know so that we can put this funding goal behind us!

Thanks so much to everyone for all of the support and advice.

Happy printing!

Eric

Hey guys,


We're almost half way there! Thanks to all of the contributors.


I just sent out a prototype to RepRap Core Developer "Sublime" (Brad M, Designer of Tantillus 3D printer) so he is going to do a review in the next few days. I am working on getting a prototype out to Richard Horne as well so stay tuned!
I am also getting together the prepayment to begin production for the Early Bird Prometheus Kits. The production should begin on Monday next week so I can realistically expect to start shipping out kits by mid May.


So what are you waiting for! Jump on board and contribute to this campaign and you will receive your hot end before June. A new Prometheus Hot End will make your printer very happy.


Keep on sharing this campaign so we can get this project fully funded!


Keep on printing :-)

Eric

Finally, a photo!

Ok, ok.. Now that things are explained a little more on your page you have my attention. I don't know alot about printing with filaments that need that sort of heat, so I probably would be researching that before I backed you to see if it's a road I want to go down, but the actual machined prototype does look nice, better than the 3d renders.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geoff

Finally, a photo!

Ok, ok.. Now that things are explained a little more on your page you have my attention. I don't know alot about printing with filaments that need that sort of heat, so I probably would be researching that before I backed you to see if it's a road I want to go down, but the actual machined prototype does look nice, better than the 3d renders.

---

Hey Geoff,

Thanks for the reply. This hot end is VERY well thought out and is basically an all-in-one hot end solution that will serve all of your printing needs :) You will find that there are many interesting Nylons and Polycarbonate filaments being developed so it is really useful to have that compatibility with your hot end. If you want a future-proof hot end, here it is! Prometheus does it all: compact, customizable, reliable (no leaks!), etc..

I hope you will support my project!

Thanks,
Eric

Hey guys,

The campaign is now 60% funded! Thanks to the latest contributors.

I have a few updates for everyone. I recently sent out a prototype to RepRap Core Developer "Sublime" (Brad M, Designer of Tantillus 3D printer) and yesterday I sent out another prototype to Michael Zenner (aka "ZennmasterM") from 3D Hacker for a review. Michael Zenner has done many reviews on hot ends so stay tuned for his review of the Prometheus Hot End prototype!

These reviews should be up in the next week. I am also still trying to get in contact with Richard Horne "RichRap" about doing a review of Prometheus.

In other news, Prometheus Early Bird production has commenced! I sent the prepayment for production to my manufacturer and they are preparing to start machining the parts. I expect to be shipping by mid May so grab your Early Bird kit today!

There is a lot going on so I am going to try to keep everyone informed. Spread the word so we can put this funding goal behind us!

Happy printing!

Eric

Hey,

Wanted to ask what the length of this hotend is?
If its shorter/aprox the same as a Jhead Mk IV

Also this is being send from the US right?
Just so i know a estimate shipping costs to Belgium.
I order sometimes from the USA, but shipping costs and custom fees are sometimes quiet ridicolous.. (Example my makerfarm custom fees were aprox 150-200 dollars if i remember correctly, shipping was 150, so that was already the same or more than the halve of my printer :P)

Ye Zennmaster is a pretty nice guy, Also did quiet a few movies with the Makerfarm, Prusa nozzle, E3D, Magma, Jhead, Aluhotend.

Hey,

The length depends on on how you customize the hot end (ie. what "melt-zone" length you use). The approximate length is from about 52mm to 62mm.

I am in Toronto, so this hot end will ship from Canada. International shipping is included in the price of each perk so don't worry about that :) I use economical shipping. Also, I don't think you will have to pay any customs fees ;) since it is not an item with high declared value.

Yeah, Zennmaster is a cool guy. I talked to him about my design and he is really happy to do a review.

I hope you will support my project!

Thanks,
Eric

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RP Iron Man

Hey Geoff,

Thanks for the reply. This hot end is VERY well thought out and is basically an all-in-one hot end solution that will serve all of your printing needs :) You will find that there are many interesting Nylons and Polycarbonate filaments being developed so it is really useful to have that compatibility with your hot end. If you want a future-proof hot end, here it is! Prometheus does it all: compact, customizable, reliable (no leaks!), etc..

I hope you will support my project!

Thanks,
Eric

---

Am I right in reading that you have solved the nozzle dribble issue? have you tested 2 of these on a dual extruder?

Hey Geoff,

By "no leaks" I meant that the plastic cannot leak from internal junctions because it is a 1-piece nozzle. As for the dribble ("ooze"), there are ways to significantly lessen this. I haven't tested with dual extruder, but it you are using 1.75mm filament and you customize Prometheus to have a short "melt-zone" the dribble (or "ooze") will be almost entirely eliminated. So that could work...

Eric

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RP Iron Man

Hey Geoff,

By "no leaks" I meant that the plastic cannot leak from internal junctions because it is a 1-piece nozzle. As for the dribble ("ooze"), there are ways to significantly lessen this. I haven't tested with dual extruder, but it you are using 1.75mm filament and you customize Prometheus to have a short "melt-zone" the dribble (or "ooze") will be almost entirely eliminated. So that could work...

Eric

---

Sorry to be a party pooper, but I have never had my $12 nozzles leak from internal junctions - ever. There is a brass nozzle attached to what appears to be a steel cylinder which heats up and pre-melts the filament before it's pushed into the hot end - there is nowhere for it to leak. I've been through close to 50kg of filament.

I am still having trouble understanding the short 'melt-zone'

can you explain that in a bit more detail please?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Geoff

Sorry to be a party pooper, but I have never had my $12 nozzles leak from internal junctions - ever. There is a brass nozzle attached to what appears to be a steel cylinder which heats up and pre-melts the filament before it's pushed into the hot end - there is nowhere for it to leak. I've been through close to 50kg of filament.

I am still having trouble understanding the short 'melt-zone'

can you explain that in a bit more detail please?

---

Yeah, some people experience leaks, some people don't. It really depends on the hot end and the assembly.

As for the short "melt-zone", basically I am referring to the length of the heated portion of the hot end. A short "melt-zone" means a short heated portion, which translates to a smaller volume of molten filament in the hot end, which in turn results in less "ooze" from the nozzle. 'Ooze' is caused by gravity acting on the liquid molten filament pulling it down through the nozzle (you can test this by turning your printer upside down! No more ooze... but it is awkward having your printer upside down). By decreasing the volume of molten filament in the hot end, you are decreasing the pressure that gravity is exerting on the molten filament and therefore less plastic oozes out of the nozzle tip.

Hence, shorter "melt-zone" = less "ooze" ---------- longer "melt-zone" = more "ooze"

Eric

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RP Iron Man

Yeah, some people experience leaks, some people don't. It really depends on the hot end and the assembly.

As for the short "melt-zone", basically I am referring to the length of the heated portion of the hot end. A short "melt-zone" means a short heated portion, which translates to a smaller volume of molten filament in the hot end, which in turn results in less "ooze" from the nozzle. 'Ooze' is caused by gravity acting on the liquid molten filament pulling it down through the nozzle (you can test this by turning your printer upside down! No more ooze... but it is awkward having your printer upside down). By decreasing the volume of molten filament in the hot end, you are decreasing the pressure that gravity is exerting on the molten filament and therefore less plastic oozes out of the nozzle tip.

Hence, shorter "melt-zone" = less "ooze" ---------- longer "melt-zone" = more "ooze"

Eric

---

Yeah I get what you are saying, thanks clearing that up.

Hello Everyone,


The campaign is almost fully funded with over $2500 in contributions! Thanks to the latest contributors.


A few updates for you all. RepRap Core Developer Brad aka "Sublime" is working on a review and Michael "ZennmasterM" Zenner will receive his prototype for testing in the next few days! We will likely be seeing the reviews in the next week. I also managed to get in contact with Richard Horne. He is currently tied up with work but he happily agreed to do a review sometime in the next few weeks!


Recently I have been working on getting my website up and running. It should be up in the next few days so I will keep you guys informed when it goes up.


The components are starting to arrive! Earlier today I received the bulk order for the thermistors and resistor heaters for Prometheus. Most of the components are already on order so I am just waiting for them to arrive. The production run for the machined parts is well under way and going smoothly as planned.


Let's keep this campaign going!


Happy printing :-)


Eric

How does it differ to this one ? and does yours come assembled?

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ap-3d-printers

They are also doing a 500c model..

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...s/posts/695645

I notice the fan and the heater are 12v, have you got an option to substitute these for 24v. The MendelMax are all 24v system.

Geoff i have been watching that pico for a while. It really looks like a beautiful hot end. The only thing thats holding me back is the fact they have the heater and block mounted vertical. This is going to make a large melt zone which will make drooling more of an issue and filament less precise to control.

Prometheus comes as a kit so you would have to assemble it yourself.

Prometheus is VERY different from the Pico because we chose very different design decisions. The Pico has an uncontrolled "transition-zone" which leads to poor PLA printing. It also has a ridiculously long "melt-zone" which results in excess amounts of "ooze", as jimc stated. If you are curious about the Pico real-world performance, look at the review done by Richard Horne (well respected RepRap Core Developer) in his write up for the RepRap Magazine here: http://issuu.com/garyhodgson/docs/re...800691/7156572

Look at his hot end review starting on Page 43. The Pico looks great, but it does have a bunch of significant design flaws that offset the aesthetic beauty...

My hot end is designed to solve all of these problems. Just read through the the Prometheus campaign page and you will have all of the answers. Hot end design is engineering, not sorcery, and every aspect of Prometheus is fully engineered.

--------------

@mttr

As for the 24V compatibility, unfortunately I can only offer 12V systems at this point. If you are keen on supporting this project, I can get some 24V fans but you would need to supply the heater... Sorry about that, but that is the best I can do. Let me know if you are interested.

Thanks,
Eric

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RP Iron Man

Prometheus comes as a kit so you would have to assemble it yourself.

Prometheus is VERY different from the Pico because we chose very different design decisions. The Pico has an uncontrolled "transition-zone" which leads to poor PLA printing. It also has a ridiculously long "melt-zone" which results in excess amounts of "ooze", as jimc stated. If you are curious about the Pico real-world performance, look at the review done by Richard Horne (well respected RepRap Core Developer) in his write up for the RepRap Magazine here: http://issuu.com/garyhodgson/docs/re...800691/7156572

Look at his hot end review starting on Page 43. The Pico looks great, but it does have a bunch of significant design flaws that offset the aesthetic beauty...

My hot end is designed to solve all of these problems. Just read through the the Prometheus campaign page and you will have all of the answers. Hot end design is engineering, not sorcery, and every aspect of Prometheus is fully engineered.

--------------

@mttr

As for the 24V compatibility, unfortunately I can only offer 12V systems at this point. If you are keen on supporting this project, I can get some 24V fans but you would need to supply the heater... Sorry about that, but that is the best I can do. Let me know if you are interested.

Thanks,
Eric

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Good stuff! I am watching and waiting for some reviews, personally I can't see how it would fit into my flashforge so I might have to bow out purely on physical constraints.

Great News!

Thanks to all of the supporters! Prometheus is now fully funded!

I really appreciate all of the support from everyone in the 3D printing community. This hot end has great potential and thanks to you guys it will soon become a reality!


Now that the funding goal is behind us I am thinking about possible stretch goals to keep things rolling. Many people were asking about different nozzle sizes so I think that would make an appropriate stretch goal. I will need more funds to do a production run of a different nozzle size, so having more funds available would allow me to get started on this sooner.


I was debating between a smaller 0.25mm nozzle or a larger 0.6mm nozzle. A 0.25mm nozzle would be ideal for very detailed printing, while a 0.6mm nozzle would be great for faster printing and would also allow Prometheus to print Taulman T-Glase.

Let me know which optional nozzle size you guys would prefer in the comments!

Thanks again for all of the support!

Happy Printing :)

Eric

Hey Guys,

We are now well past the funding goal. Thanks so much to all of the supporters!

I have received a lot of input about possible stretch goals and I am currently weighing all of my options. Just so you guys know, I plan on offering BOTH 0.25mm and 0.6mm nozzles in the future, but I am just trying to get an idea of what people are more interested in.

I have also been asked about offering a bowden integrated heat sink. I realized that this is an important feature that many people would appreciate so I am working on a solution for this. I will likely offer an option of bowden or standard heat sink for all supporters before I start shipping. The bowden hot ends may ship a few weeks later than the standard hot ends. Anyway, I will be sure to let everyone know once I have all of the details sorted.

Let's keep this campaign going!

Happy printing :-)

Eric

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RP Iron Man

Hey Guys,

We are now well past the funding goal. Thanks so much to all of the supporters!

I have received a lot of input about possible stretch goals and I am currently weighing all of my options. Just so you guys know, I plan on offering BOTH 0.25mm and 0.6mm nozzles in the future, but I am just trying to get an idea of what people are more interested in.

I have also been asked about offering a bowden integrated heat sink. I realized that this is an important feature that many people would appreciate so I am working on a solution for this. I will likely offer an option of bowden or standard heat sink for all supporters before I start shipping. The bowden hot ends may ship a few weeks later than the standard hot ends. Anyway, I will be sure to let everyone know once I have all of the details sorted.

Let's keep this campaign going!

Happy printing :-)

Eric

---

Wishing ye luck on your campagne and your sales later on,

I personaly if i buy a new hotend i would look for a 0.25 and 0.5, So i can get both worlds, But not overkill as roundness of hooks go(0.6).
That or a single head of 0.4.

Of course thats up to you to decide, Just saying what i would personaly prefer.

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for all of the ongoing support. The campaign is now over 140% funded!

A few updates for you all. I have slowly been receiving more of the parts for the Prometheus Kits. The small cooling fans and metric hardware just arrived and there are other parts on the way!

I have also been sorting out the stretch goals. I really want to offer both the 0.6mm and 0.25mm nozzle sizes, but in order to do so I need to have enough demand. For now I think it is better to offer the 0.6mm nozzle size as the first stretch goal. I understand that many of you were more interested in the 0.25mm nozzle size. However, the 0.25mm nozzle will require more testing due to the higher extrusion force so I think it is a better idea to start with a more user friendly nozzle size. A 0.6mm nozzle size will also allow you guys to print with Taulman T-Glase!

I am setting the stretch goal for the 0.6mm nozzle at $8000. We are half way through the campaign with $4300 funded so I think this is doable. I understand that this stretch goal is still a bit high, but this is the funding that I would require to be able to offer the 0.6mm nozzle in this campaign. Even if we don't meet this stretch goal I will still be offering BOTH the 0.6mm nozzle and the 0.25mm nozzle sizes soon after the campaign, so don't worry! Meeting this stretch goal will simply allow me to offer these extra nozzle sizes sooner :-)

Let's keep this campaign going so we can meet the stretch goal. Remember to spread the word as far as you can!

Happy printing!

Eric

Hey Guys,

Thanks so much to everyone for the continued support. The campaign is now 180% funded!

Just a few updates. It looks like the Early bird perks are running out with just two Prometheus 1.75mm Early Bird perks remaining!

Many people were asking about bowden integration and I have been working on a solution for this. At this point, I need a bit of info from all of you about your bowden needs! I am asking that you please take a few moments to post your preference of "bowden" or "standard" hot end in the comments. For the bowden hot end you will need a specific pneumatic coupler that fits into the heat sink. I am using the same modified John Guest couplers that E3D uses so if you already have a few then you are good to go. Later on I will add these couplers as add-on perks that will ship with your hot end. I will need to know if you need just one coupler for the heat sink, or if you want to order a pair of them. I also need to know if you need PTFE bowden tubing with your order. I will add these as optional add-on perks later but I just want an idea of what everyone needs now.

TL/DR: You need to post a comment on the campaign page: indicate whether you ordered "1.75mm" version or "3mm" version and post "bowden" or "standard". If "bowden": post "one coupler", "two couplers", or any required number of couplers, etc... If you need bowden tubing: post "750mm bowden tubing", "1000mm bowden tubing", or any required length, etc...

Thanks everyone! Let's keep this campaign moving!

Happy printing :D

Eric

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for all of your feedback and support. The campaign is now over 200% Funded!

I just wanted to let you guys know that I have finished sorting out the details for bowden integration. Since I do not have the quantity demand to make two different versions I decided to make all of the Prometheus Hot Ends bowden compatible. I made some minor changes to the heat sink design that allows Prometheus to be used in both standard and bowden configurations. I also managed to adjust a few other dimensions to eliminate mounting issues with some printers.

- Robo3d Users: Don't worry about printing a modified x-carriage if you own a Robo 3D printer! I adjusted the mounting dimensions so that Prometheus will be a drop in replacement for your old hot end.

- Bowden Users: If you want to use Prometheus in a bowden configuration then simply add your required bowden couplers/tube length to your contribution. I added extra perks for these add-ons so please visit the campaign page and select the perks that you require. Please do this as soon as you can as the campaign ends in 11 days!

- Shipping Date: Due to these design changes the shipping date will be a little later than initially expected. The revised Prometheus Hot Ends are now in production and should be complete by mid-June. I can realistically expect to start shipping by late June so you guys will start receiving your perks by early July. I apologize for this delay but I hope you guys can understand. I am trying to satisfy everyone's needs with these last minute mods!

*Remember to select your required bowden coupler/tubing add-on perks before the end of the campaign!

We only have 11 days left so let's keep this campaign moving!

Happy printing :D

Eric

Hey Everyone,

Thanks so much to all who have supported this campaign!

Tomorrow is the last day of the campaign and I have now raised $7000. I am very thankful for the incredible support I have received from the community and I am really excited to bring Prometheus into existence!

I am confident that Prometheus will make many printers very happy and I can't wait to start shipping! The production is well under way and I will be sure to keep you all informed of the progress right up until delivery.

If you are interested in using Prometheus in a bowden configuration remember to select your required couplers and tubing add-on perks before the end of the campaign! There is only 1 day left so please add your couplers and tubing as soon as you can!

Once again, thanks so much to everyone for all of the support. This project was made possible by your contributions so you are all responsible for making Prometheus a reality!

Prometheus will be available for pre-order on my website after the campaign but you can contribute to this campaign now (If you haven't done so already) to take advantage of the free shipping!

I keep you all updated!

Happy printing :-)

Eric

Hey Everyone,

There are only a few hours left in the campaign!

If you are interested in using Prometheus in a bowden configuration please select your required couplers and tubing add-on perks before the end of the campaign!

Thanks,
Eric

Hey Everyone,


Just a quick update. My online store is now up and running! You can check it out at http://www.dta-labs.com. If there is anyone who did not get a chance to contribute during the campaign, you can now pre-order the Prometheus Hot End through my website.


The Indiegogo Campaign production run is well underway and I have already received all of the bowden couplers and PTFE tubing. I am now working on getting all of the orders organized. If there is anyone who contributed during the campaign but forgot to add their bowden coupler and tubing requirements, please let me know! I would like to sort this out asap.


Once again, thanks so much to everyone who supported this project!


Happy Printing :)


Eric

Hey Everyone,

I am really sorry about the lack of updates these past few weeks! I have been really busy but things have been coming along.

Most of the machined parts are finished, but the 1-Piece Stainless Steel Nozzles are still in production. These parts are taking longer than expected because they require some really tricky machining. At this point, the Nozzles are approaching completion and I am preparing the orders.

I am really excited to start shipping these hot ends to all you guys. Since the Nozzles are taking longer than expected, it looks like shipping will be pushed back a few weeks. I will try to be realistic and say that I will likely start shipping by the end of July. I would really like to send out these hot ends as soon as possible, but I want to make sure all of the parts are properly machined and inspected before they are sent out. I hope you all can understand this.

Since we are getting closer to shipping, I want to remind anyone who has yet to specify their bowden coupler/tubing needs. If there is anyone who contributed during the campaign but forgot to add their bowden coupler and tubing requirements, please let me know! I would like to sort this out before I start shipping.

Just a reminder, my online store is now up and running! You can check it out at http://www.dta-labs.com. If there is anyone who did not get a chance to contribute during the campaign, you can now pre-order the Prometheus Hot End through my website.

Once again, thanks so much to everyone who supported this project! I am going to try to update more frequently so that we are all on the same page. I really appreciate your help in making my idea a reality and I can't wait to release Prometheus!

Happy Printing :)

Thanks.

Eric